Method of and means for determining and indicating the depth of water.



A. R. BAUDER. METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR DETERMININGAND INDICATING THEDEPTH OF WATER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-22, 19H.

LIQAS Patented Jan. 16,1917.

I 2 SBEETSSHEET l.

lV/TNESSES: LVVENTOR. J. QQJMM/ QMQM K @QM I Ell/3M4 (TA Q11);

ATTORNEYS.

' A. R. BAUDER. METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR DETERMINING AND INDICATING THEDEPTH OF WATER. APPUCATION FILED SEPT. 22, 191 1.

1 ,2 l 2,%3& Patented Jan, 16, 1917.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

minim WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS ARTHUR-E. .BAUDER, OF NORTH HAVEN, C ONNECTIGUT,

mn'rnon or an]; MEANS FOR. nnrnammme AND mnica'rm'e ran DEPTH or WATER.

. scription when taken in connection with the thereof.

accompanying drawings, which form a part This invention relates to amethod of and means for automatically determining and indicating thedepth of water surrounding a ship or other object carrying theindicator, and it is based upon the principle that the electricalconductivity of abody of water varies in proportion to its depth. Thismethod is a difiz'erential one. It is carried into eifect by having incircuit the water in which the ship floats and a suitable currentstrength indicator or potential indicator, which is preferably socontrolled as to be irresponsive to changesin conductivity due to causesother than changes in the depth or the presence of metallic bodies orminerals, but is, arranged to respond to and denote any change inconductivity due to he variations in depth of the water or metallicbodies or minerals.

The invention therefore may comprise the method of and means for placingin circuit the body of water in which the ship floats and a resistancemeasuring device, such as a Wheatstone bridge, and balancing thepotential at thejunction of two arms against the potential of thejunction of two other arms of a Wheatstone network upon a certainpredetermined depth of water to provide a zero or other initialindicating point on the measuring device, the said measuring devicebeing calibrated in graduations whereby changes 1n the current due tochanges in depth will be indicated thereon.

More specifically and in its preferred embodiment, the inventioncomprises in connection with a source of electric current, a Wheatstonebridge or similar bala nced'current measuring device, having a dividedcircuit, one branch of which includes the body of water in which theship floats, and

v Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Jan. re, rear.

Application filed September 22, 1911. Serial No. 650,774.

another branch of which includes a containing water drawn from thebodyfiff water immediately surrounding the ship, or other agency tocompensate for changes in the conductlvity of the surrounding water? dueto other causes than changes in depth, so that the ratios of currents orratios of reslstances in these two arms may be equal at a certain depthand changes in the salinity temperature or other conductive condit onsof the water will not aifect this rat1o,- but the galvanometer employedas indicator will remain at rest until changes in conductivity due tochanges in depth or causes other than the state of the water occur. Assuch depth varies from the predetermined depth whereat the ratios areequal these ratios will change, and consequently the indicator will movefrom its position of rest corresponding to the predetermined depth to aposition indicating I greater or less depth.

The galvanometer measures the variations in the ratios of the currentsin the pairs of arms of the Wheatstone bridge and thereby the resistanceor conductivity of the water in which the ship floats relative to thatof the water in the vessel on the ship, and in the use of the device,after a point of equilibrium has been established by rheostats, or othersuitable means, the galvanometer will indicate any change in therelative conductivity of the water outside of the ship and'that withinthe vessel on the ship.

The invention further consists of the several improvements andcombinations of parts set forth and claimed hereinafter.

Referring to. the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration ofthe invention applied to a ship, Fig. 2, a similar view of a modifiedform, and Fig. 3, a sectional detail view of a part of the hull of aship, a vessel carried by the ship, and a pump intermediate the vesseland water in which the ship floats.

In all figures, represent like parts.

In the drawings, the-letter A'designates a ship floating in water B ofany depth.

G designates a water containing vesselv similar letters of referenceadapted to be located at any suitable place upon the ship A. r I

Below the. water line of the ship are se-j are of such-material thatthey will not be acted upon by the water in which the ship floats. Theterminal plates are preferably applied to the hull of the ship at thebow and stern respectively. although this arrangement is not absolutelyessential. To

. these plates I) and I) are connectedconductors E and F, the conductorF being also connected to a plate I in the water containing vessel 0. Tothe other plate I of the vessel C anotherconductor H is connected, andbetween and in circuit with the conductors E and H is located agalvanometer G which occupies the usual position in a Wheatstone bridgearrangement. The plates I and I, like the plates D and D are of suchmaterial'that they will not be acted upon by the water. 7 V

One end of a rheostat R is connected to the junction of a rheostat R andthe conductor TA, theother end of R is connected to the junction of theterminal of the galvanolneter G and the conductor E. One end of therheostat R is connected to the junction of rheostat R and the conductorL, the other end of R being connected to the junction of the terminal ofthe galvauou'ieter G and the conductor H. The

generator T is connected to the conductor L and also to the junctionofconductors F from the plates D and I. 1

The rheostats R and R are preferably made of a material possessing ahigh tem-' perature coefficient of resistance, so that a given change incurrent will cause a considerable and definite evolution of heat, whichin turn will cause a relatively large change in resistance, inaccordance with the principle that: the quantity of heat developed in aconductor is proportional to the square of the current strength, andthat the change in resistance of a conductor is very nearly proportionalto the change in temperature for materials having a positive temperaturecoefiicient of resistance, such as pure metals,

and very nearly inversely proportional to the change in temperature formaterials having a negative temperature coefficient of resistance, suchas carbon or electrolytes.

The rheostats R and R are preferably made in. the following manner; viz:of small mass and of relatively high resistance, so that a small currentwill cause a considerable elevation of temperature; of large superficialarea but small cross sectional area so as to facilitate rapid cooling byradiation, permitting of rapid adjustment; and inclosed in a vacuousspace so as to prevent the erratic cooling by convection In the deviceof Fig. 1 an alternating current is.used'in order to avoidpolarizationeffects. 1

The water within the vessel C is intended to be pumped continually fromthe body of water in which the ship is floating, by means of 'the pumpM, which communicates with the vessel by means of the pipe N ofinsulating material, and sufiicient overflow is provided to carry awaythe water after it has'entered the vessel, so that so far aspossible thewater within the vessel will be the same in composition, salinity andtemperature as that in which the ship may be at any given instant.

In practising the method and operating the device by the arrangementshown in Figs. 1 and 3, the pump having been set in action so as tocontinuously supply water from the body of water immediately surroundingthe ship, to the vessel 0, alternating current is sent through thecircuit. Then the adjustablearms of the rheostats R, R are adjusted sothat the productof the resistances R and R. will'equal the product ofthe resistances R and R to thereby establish a balance between theresistances of the respective branches in which are included the outerbody of water and that in the vessel, and thereupon the needle of thegalvanometer will be brought to rest. To adjust the instrument sothat'the 'galvanometer will have no deflection at a given depth, theship is moved into water of a knowndepth and the'bridge is balanced forthe conductivity corresponding to this depth, which may be, forinstance, one hundred feet. The water being continually pumped into thevessel from the surrounding ody, the same conditions of salinity andtemperature will affect the conductivity of these two branches as theship moves from point to point, thus maintaining in water of a uniformdepth equal ratios of resistance in the arms.and a balance of thebridge, and thus maintaining'the indicator in a state of rest. When,however, the depth of the water without the ship increases or decreasesand the conductivity of .R" is thereby increased or decreased, thegalvanometer will indicate at once such variation between the ratios ofresistances in the arms and thereby show the relative conductivity ofthe water withoutthe ship as compared to that within the vessel, andthus the relative depth of the water outside the ship compared to thegiven depth is shown.

' By having the resistances Rand R of small thermal capacityv and hightemperanaiaese cause a considerable temperature change of R variesconsiderably. the amount of cur floats at any instant.

made very sensitive.

R, due to the change in the current, and therefore a considerable changeof resistance. The large change in the resistance of rent flowingthrough it, and as R, and B have comparatively large and oppositevariations of resistance under the conditions noted the equilibrium ofthe system is noticeably upset, and the effect of the resistance changeof R is considerably multiplied at the galvanometer, whereby theinstrument is The instrument gives the new value of the average depthofwater in which the ship A part of the electric current will. passthrough portions of water at considerable distances from the ship, butthe quantity of electricity passing through these remote portions ofwater will approach a constant, and have little or no effect upon theinstrument, inasmuch as I employ a difierential method. As the shippasses into deeper water the conductivity of the water below and aboutthe ship increases by virtue of the greater cross-sectional area,permitting an increased flow of alternating current through this body ofwater and through the corresponding resistance R. The increased flow ofcurrent through R causes it to rise in temperature,

and in case it is made of material having a high temperature coeflicientof resistance, such as pure metal, its reslstance W1ll 1I1- creasecorrespondingly. Since the electrical potential at any point in aconductor varies as the product of the-current by the resistance of thatportion of the conductor traversed by the current, it follows that theelectrical potential of the conjunction of R and R (indicating theconductivity of the water,) will rise above its previous value.

Conversely, when the ship passes into shallow water the disturbance ofthe bridge will be in the reverse direction causing a decreased currentin R and R and hence a decreased value of the potential at theirjunction. In any case, the change in potential, at the junction of R andR or at the junction of R and R (which represents the resistance of thevessel G) varies as the product of the current traversing that ratio armR or R by the resistance of that particular ratio arm, whether theresistance vary much or little, or is substantially constant. When thepotential of the junction of Bi and R equals the potential of thejunction of R and R the bridge is said to be balanced. A change in thedepth of water in which the ship floats will cause the balance .to bedisturbed, i. 6., the electrical potential of the junction of a and R3will be greater or less than that of the junction of R and R causing acurrent ,to pass from the higher to the lower potential through eter's.In this arrangement in addition to thealternating current generator andthe networkheretofore described, a direct current generator 0 isemployed. Secondary rheostats R and R, forming adjustable ratio arms areused for the, direct current, and so connected that the direct currentwhich passes through "R and R will also pass through R and R in additionto the alternating current which is also passing through the latter.,Condensers G, C are employed-to prevent the direct current from enteringeither the water in which the ship floats or the .water contained in thevessel C, but such condensers permit the alternating current to passthrough both bodies of water. Tnductances I and P, such as choke coils,prevent the alternating current fromentering R and R, or reduce itsvolume in those secondary" ratio arms, and they assist in reducing thequantity of alternating current passing through the source of directcurrent. An inductance l is provided in order I to reduce the quantityof alternating current passing through the direct current galvanometen'In the arrangement of lFigsQ, the' first balancing of the .bridgeis'done with the main bridge only, that is, R, R, R and B usingalternating current; then while the alternating current continuestoflow, direct current is passed through R, R", R, R and the rheostats Rand R are adjusted to the rheostats R, R which are used jointly by boththe alternating and direct currents, and a readjustment is made untilthe proper balance is obtained, that is, the ratio of R to R equalstheratio of R to R equals the ratio of R to R. The ratios of'resistance inR, R R and R are not altered thereafter. it

The indicator will show proximity to a reef, submarine precipice orsubmarine bank, and in case the course of, the ship 'makes-an acuteangle with the face of the submarine precipice or bank the ship may bestopped in time to avert disaster. Ifthe indicator gives a readingindicating shallow water, while other conditions, such as the gationmade.

A sunken metallic ship, or a sunken wooden ship having a cargo of metalor ores of metal lying below a ship equipped with the indicator willcause the indicator of this instrument to deviate suddenly from the truereading of the depth. It will, however,

innnediately return to its proper reading of depth when the ship soequipped has passed from the neighborhood of the sunken ship.

Accumulations or deposits of metal, or ores of metal, on, or in, the bedof the body of Water, will likewise cause the indicator of a ship soequipped to deviate suddenly from the true indications of depth, whenthe ship is in the neighborhood of these accumulations or deposits; and,again, the indicator will immediately give the true reading of depthwhen the ship hearing this instrument has passed out of the neighborhoodof these accumulations or deposits mentioned above.

The indicator can thus be used to locate a sunken metallic ship, or aWooden ship having a cargo of metal, or ores of metal, or accumulationsor deposits of metal, or ores of metal, on, or in, the bed of the bodyof water.

It will be understood that in both modifieations ofmy invention shown inthe drawings the depth ofwater beneath a ship is determined orascertained by measuring the conductivity of an electric circuit,including the .body of water floating the'ship, and compensating forconductivity variations in the water portion of said circuit due solelyto variations in the state of the water, i. e., variations intemperature, density or salinity. The measuring of the depth of wateris, in short, obtained by comparing those successive factors or portionsof the conductivity of the body of water surrounding the ship which areindependent of the changing state of such water. Any indications by theindicating instrumentof changes in the state of the water outside theship are prevented by balancing with respect to said instrument thatportion or factor of the conductivity of the Water circuit due solely tothe state of the water, as against a similar factor of the conductivityof a body of water constantly supplied to the ship from the surroundingwater.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, is

1. The method of determining and indicating the depth of water or thepresence of metallic bodies or minerals adjacent to a floating shipwhich consists in measuring the conductivity of an electric circuitincluding the body of water surrounding the ship, substantially asdescribed.

2. The method of determining and indieating the depth of water or thepresence of metallic bodies or minerals adjacent to a vfloating shipwhich consists in establishing an electric circuit through the watersurrounding the ship and throu h an indicator controlled in operationby'c anges in conductivity in the circuit, substantially as described.

3. The method of determining and indicating automatically the depth ofwater adjacent to a floating ship, which consists in establishing anelectric circuit including the water surrounding the. ship and includingan indicator subject to changes in conductivity in the circuit, andsetting said indicator at an initial indication at a known depth ofwater, substantially as described.

4. The method of automatically determining and indicatin the depth ofWater or the presence of. metallic bodies or minerals adjacent to afloating ship, which consists in adjusting an electrical indicator incircuit with the water surrounding the ship to a certain position at agiven depth of water, and preventing a change in said indicator by chanes in conductivity of said circuit due to ct or causes than the depth ofthe water or the presence of metallic bodies or minorals in said water,substantially as described.

5. The method of determining and indicating automatically the depth ofwater ad-,

jacent to a floating ship, which consists in providing an electriccircuit including the water surrounding said ship, and an electricalindicator, and "constantly compensat-' ing for changes in theconductivity of the circuit due to causes other than the depth of wateror the-presence of metallic bodies in the water to prevent operation ofthe indicator by such other causes, substantially as described.

6. The method of determining and indicating the depth of water beneath afloating ship, which comprises establishing a divided electric circuiteach branch of which includes an adjustable resistance, one of saidbranches also'including the water about the ship, indicating therelative potentials of points in the respective branches by aninstrument connecting the latter, and initially balancing suchpotentials at a'known depth of water to set said indicator at an initialindication; substantially as described.

7. The method of determining and in'di-' eating the depth of waterbeneath a floatingship, which consists in measurin the conductivity ofan electric circuit inc uding the water about the ship, and compensatingfor conductivity variations in the water portion of said circuit, due tocauses other than variations of depth and the presence of metallicbodies or minerals adjacent to the ship; substantially as" described.

8. The method of determining. and indicating the depth of water beneatha floating ship, which consists in measuring the conductivity of anelectric circuit including the water about the ship, and compensatingfor conductivity'variations in the water portiori of said circuit due tovariations in the state of the water; substantially as described.

9. The method of determining and indicating the depth of water beneath afloating ship, which consists in measuring the conductivit of anelectric circuit including the water a out the ship, and constantlycompensating for conductivity variations in the water portion of saidcircuit due to variations in the temperature, density, and salm- V ityof the 10. The cating the depth ofwater ship, which consists in measurinthat factor or portion of the conductivity of the water; substantiallyas described. method of determining and indiwater about the ship whichis independent and indithe water about the ship which are inde endent ofthe changing state of such water;

I substantially as described.

- ship,

' in said circuit, substantially .tained in a vessel on the ship;

12. The method of determining the varying depths of water adjacent to afloating ship, which consists in determining the measure of unbalancebetween the conductivity of the water about the ship and theconductivity of a sample of such water consubstantially as described.

13. The method of ing depths of water adjacent to a floating whichconsists in measurin by means of a suitable instrument the con uctivityof an electric circuit the ship, and preventin said instrument of conuctivity variations due to changes in the state of-such water, bybalancing with respect to said instrument that portion or factor of theconductivity of the water portion of said circuit due solely to thestate of the water, as against a similar factor of the conductivity of abody of water constantly supplied to the ship from the water about thesame; substantially as described.

14. The method of determining and indicating the varying depths of wateradjacent to a floating ship,- which consists in establishing an electriccircuit including said adjacent water and an indicator responsive toconductivity variations and constantly supplying water from the bodyimmediately surrounding the ship to a resistance device as described.

15. The method of determining the depth of water beneath a floatingship, which consists in comparing the conductivity of a the indicationby beneath a floating.

a floating presence of determining the varyincluding the Water aboutbranch of an electric circuit, including the water in which the shipfloats, with that of,

another branch includin the contents of a vessel carried by the ship,said vessel containing water replenished from the body surroundingthe-ship as the latter is moved from one point-to another substantiallyas described. a

' 1c. The method o f-determinin and indi-j eating automatically thedepth 0 water ad jacent to a fioatin ship,-which consists inestablishingan e ectric circuit including said adjacentbody of water and anelectrical indicator, and counter-balancing that change in conductivityof the water in which. the ship is floating caused by changes insalinity, density and temperatureby corresponding andproportionatechanges in the conductivity of a body of, Water carried by said ship,and which is a sample of that in which the ship is floating at anyinstant, which changes are due to the same changes in salinity, densityand temperature, sub- 'stantially as described.

17 Means for determining ing automatically the depth of water or thefloating ship, including the water surrounding said ship,

and anindicator in said circuit subject to the changes of conductivityof the circuit, substantially as described.

18-. Means for determlning and indicating and indicatmetallic bodiesadjacent to a compris ng an electric circuit,'

the depth of water or the presence of metallic bodies adjacent to afloating ship, com- 1 prising an electrical circuit including the watersurrounding said ship and a resistance controlled indicator in saidcircuit, substantially as described.

19. Means for determining and indicating the depth of water or thepresence of metallic bodies adjacent to a floating ship, com;

"prising an electric circuit, including the water surrounding said ship,a resistancecontrolled ing such control adjustable to balance oneanother at a given depth of water, and means to vary one of saidresistances as the specific conductivity of the body of water indicator,resistances for eflect-l outside the ship varies, substantially asdescribed.

20. Means for automatically determining and indicating the depth ofwater adjacent to a floating ship, comprising an electric circuitincludlng the water surrounding said ship, a potential indicator,resistances controlling such indicator adjustable to set said indicatorat an initial indication at a known depth of water, and means to preventany effect on said indicator due to other causes than changes in thedepth of water, substantially as described.

21. Means for determining the depth of water beneath a floating ship,comprising a rent on t Whcatstone bridge, including in one arm the waterabout the ship and in another arm a vessel on the ship constantlysupplied with water from that about the ship; substantially asdescribed.

22. Means for determining and indicatingautomatically varying depths ofwater adjacent to a floating ship, comprising a. source of electricity,a divided electric circuit, a resistance controlled indicator connectingthe branches of said circuit, one of said branches including saidoutside body of water, and an adjustable resistance, the other branch ofsaid circuit including a vessel having a sample oil the surroundingwater, and another adjustable resistance, said vessel receiving constantsupply from the body of water immediately surrounding the ship,substantially as described.

23. Means for determining and indicating the depth of water beneath afloating ship, comprising a source of alternating cure sh1p, a dividedelectric circuit connected with said source, one branch of said circuitincluding the water about the ship and also including a resistance,another branch of said circult including a second resistance and avessel supplied with water from the bod of water-surrounding the ship,and an e ectric potential indicator connecting saidbranches;substantially as described. v

24. The method of determining and indicating the depth of water, or thepresence ofmetallic bodies or minerals adjacent to a floating ship,which consists in employing a Wheatstone network carrying alternatingcurrent in conjunction with a Wheatstone network carrying directcurrent, two arms and the galvanometer of said networks being identical,substantially as described.

25. Means for determining and indicating the depth of water beneath afloating ship, comprising a Wheatstone network carrying alternatingcurrent in conjunction with a Wheatstone network carrying directcurrent, two arms and a galvanometer of said networks being identlcal,and means for preventing the assage of alternating current into the gavanometer; substantially as described.

26. Means for determining and indicating :the depth of water beneath afloating ship,

comprising a Wheatstone network carrying alternating current inconjunction with a Wheatstone network carrying direct current, two armsand a galvanometer of said networks being identical means for preventingthe passage of a ternating current into the galvanometer, means forpreventing the alternating current from passing into those arms of thedirect current network intended to carry direct current only, and othermeans for preventing the passage of direct current into those arms ofthe alternating current network intended to carry alternating currentonly; substantially as sistance, having the property of changing inresistance with some function of the temperature; the development ofheat varying with the square of the current passing through saidconductor, to produce a valve= like action on the current, substantiallyas described.

28. Means for determining and indicating the depth of water, or thepresence of metallic bodies or minerals adjacent to a floating ship,comprising an electric circuit including a conductor composed of amaterial possessing a high temperature coefficient of resistance, havingthe propertyof changing in resistance with some function of thetemperature, the 'develo ment of heat varying so that a small currenttraversing it will cause a considerable elevation in temperature, withits accompanying increase in resistance, thus affecting the balance ofpotentials of the Wheatstone network, with its resultant efi'ect uponthe indicator, substantially as described. v 30. Means for determiningand indicating the depth of water, or the presence of metallic bodies orminerals, comprising "an electric circuit including a conductor ofrelatively-large superficial area but small crosssectional area so as tofacilitate rapid cooling by radiation, thus permitting a rapid adustment of the instrument to the new conditions of depth and a rapidindication of these conditions, substantially as described. j

31. Means for determining and indicating the depth of water, or thepresence of metallic bodies or minerals, comprising an electric circuitincluding a conductor inclosed in a vacu'ous space or receptacle so asto prevent cooling by convection currents of gases, but permit of re. idcooling by radiation, substantially as ascribed,

'32. The method of automatically determining and indicating the presenceof a ree or submarine precipice or bank whose face is parallel oroblique to the course of the 5 ship, which consists in establishing anelectric circuit including the water in which the ship floats wherebythe presence of said reef or submarine precipice or bank decreases theeonductivity of the circuit 10 through the water thereby actuating anindicating instrument, substantiallyma-s described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand" on the 19th day ofSeptember, 1911.

ARTHUR R. BAUDER.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL H. FISHER, ERROLL M. AUGER.

